Traditionally sisal was the leading material for agricultural twine ("binder" and "baler" twine) but the importance of this has now diminished (with competition from polypropylene and other techniques) although there is still a major business between Brazil and the United States.

Apart from ropes, twines and general cordage sisal is used in both low-cost and speciality paper, dartboards, buffing cloth, filters, geotextiles, mattresses, carpets and wall coverings, handicrafts, wire rope cores and macramé.

It is also used as a binding material for plaster mouldings as well as in the construction industry to reinforce plaster in ceilings and walls.

In recent years sisal has been utilised as a strengthening agent to replace asbestos and fibreglass and is increasingly a component used in the automobile industry, where its strength, "naturalness" and environmentally friendly characteristics are greatly appreciated.